Dori Saltzman
Contributor
Easygoing cruise line with few bells and whistles and a respect for cruise traditions like main dining rooms and live music; aims to put cruisers in a relaxed and rejuvenated state of mind
Casual cruise line designed around a "freestyle" concept of doing what you want, when you want, including no set dining times, but with more for-fee options than most other cruise lines
Fleet size, ship sizes and ages
Princess Cruises
- 18 ships, three built before 2000
- Smallest: Pacific Princess (672 passengers)
- Largest: Sky Princess (3,660 passengers), Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess (all with 3,560 passengers)
- Oldest: Sun Princess (1995), Sea and Grand Princess (both 1998)
Norwegian Cruise Line
- 16 ships (17 by end of 2019); two built before 2000
- Smallest: Norwegian Sun (1,936 passengers) and Norwegian Sky (2,004 passengers)
- Largest: Norwegian Escape (4,248 passengers), Norwegian Epic (4,100 passengers), Norwegian Bliss (4,004 passengers)
- Oldest: Norwegian Spirit (1998), Norwegian Sky (1999)
Pricing
Princess Cruises
- Pricing is in line with industry averages, but sales are offered frequently
- Cruise fares include almost one-half of the alternative dining venues on all ships
- Pricing includes all theater entertainment
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Prices are generally similar to industry averages (sometimes a tad lower), but the line is known for nickel-and-diming onboard
- Cruise fare includes less than half of the restaurants offered onboard
- Unlike most cruise ships where for-fee restaurants carry a cover charge, all for-fee eateries, minus two, are a la carte (priced per item)
- All entertainment included (except for lunch and dinner shows, plus alcohol-included special experiences such as Prohibition, the Musical, all of which are only available on select ships)
- Offers all-inclusive fares onboard short sailings of two ship in its fleet (Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Sun) that include all soft and alcoholic drinks
Demographics
Princess Cruises
- Caribbean and Alaska sailings draw families, couples and groups of friends in most age brackets
- Exotic itineraries (primarily offered on Diamond Princess, Sun Princess and Pacific Princess) pull in a 55-plus crowd
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Popular with families and couples, ages 35 to 65
- Larger number of solo cruisers on ships that feature Studio rooms (Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss)
Itineraries/Destinations/Homeports
Princess Cruises
- Cruises out of seven North American mainland ports, depending on season, with no ships staying at a single port year-round
- Sails Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii itineraries from the U.S.
Featured Videos
Live Interview With Frank Del Rio, NCLH President And CEO, About Company's "Safe To Sail" Campaign
Princess Family Fun
Norwegian Bliss Virtual Tour - Why You Should Be Excited About Norwegian's Newest Ship - Video
Norwegian Breakaway Highlights
The Waterfront On Norwegian Cruise Line - Video
Norwegian Getaway Highlights
Inside Look: The Haven On Norwegian Cruise Line - Video
Norwegian Escape's Ropes Course - Are You Brave Enough
Highlights From Regal Princess
Inside Look Norwegian Sky In Cuba
Norwegian Escape Attractions - 7 Free Things You Have To Try - Video Tour
4 Exclusive Spots On Norwegian Escape - Video Tour
Carnival Corporation Introduces the Ocean Medallion at CES
Norwegian Escape Photo Tour
Gavin Macleod - Capt. Stubing On "The Love Boat" -- Cruise Critic Interview
Norwegian Breakaway Video Tour
- Offers one of the strongest Alaska cruise (with optional land) program in the industry
- Sails Europe cruises three-quarters of the year, including Northern Europe, Mediterranean and Baltic itineraries from several European ports
- Operates world cruises
- Has ships sailing in Australia and Asia year-round
- Exotic cruises include South Pacific, Asia, India, Australia/New Zealand, South America and Africa sailings
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Sails from 12 ports on the North American mainland, plus Puerto Rico on a regular basis, if not year-round
- Offers Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and Alaska itineraries
- Offers seasonal Mediterranean and Northern Europe itineraries
- Only major cruise line to sail year-round all-Hawaiian island cruises departing from Hawaii
- Exotic itineraries include South America, as well as Asia, Australia, India and the Arabian Gulf
Cabins
Princess Cruises
- Large selection of room categories to choose from
- Distinctive room options include oceanview suites, plus mini-suites without a balcony (select ships only)
- Extensive suite perk program including a complimentary dinner at an alternative restaurant on the first night, priority embarkation/debarkation, butler service, free laundry and access to the Club Class dining room or a Club Class section of the main dining room (depending on ship) for dinner each night, plus daily breakfast and lunch on sea days
- Limited family room choices include regular rooms with connecting doors, as well as family suites with full baths on select ships
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Cabin sizes are comparable to industry standards, though balconies on the Breakaway-class ships are notably small
- Large selection of room types, even on the line's older ships
- Six ships offer Studio cabins, which are inside cabins sized and priced for solo cruisers
- Four ships have spa cabins, which come with free access to the onboard saunas and steam room
- Nine ships have the exclusive, key-card-access, top-deck Haven suite complex, which features a private courtyard and pool; of these ships, five also have a private lounge and dining room for suite passengers
- Suite privileges include priority embarkation, debarkation and tender boarding; butler and concierge service; a suites-only breakfast location; complimentary sparkling wine, fruit and bottled water on embarkation day; and free daily canapes
Dining
Princess Cruises
- One main dining room on each ship is designated a traditional dining area (early and late seatings), while one or more other dining rooms is for the flexible Anytime Dining program (except on Pacific Princess, which only offers Traditional)
- Growing selection of alternative restaurants on most ships; some like International Cafe are included in the cruise fare, while others such as the Salty Dog Gastropub cost extra
- Partnership with Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone brings "Crafted by Curtis" menu items to the main dining room, as well as a Share by Curtis Stone restaurant on three ships
- Partnership with chocolatier Norman Love provides passengers with special chocolate desserts, drinks, tasting experiences and spa treatments
- Passengers in balcony rooms can take advantage of the for-fee Ultimate Balcony Dining, an in-room, fine-dining experience
- At least one formal night per sailing requiring passengers to dress up for dinner (or eat in the buffet where casual dress is acceptable)
Norwegian Cruise Line
- No early or late dinner seatings; instead you can eat in any of the restaurants at any time during open hours (reservations for specialty restaurants are encouraged)
- Most ships have two free alternative eateries: one Asian-style (lunch, dinner) and one pub/restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- All ships have four to six extra-fee specialty restaurants including a steak, Italian, French, Japanese hibachi, Brazilian and sushi restaurant; all but the hibachi and Brazilian eateries are priced per item
- Four ships (Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss) feature The Waterfront, an outdoor space offering alfresco seating for several of the ships' bars and restaurants
- One optional formal night on weeklong sailings
Pool Deck Fun
Princess Cruises
- Most ships have at least three pools, including a less-trafficked aft pool, and a minimum of five hot tubs; several ships also have a pool with a retractable roof
- Silly poolside games on sea days on ships sailing in the Caribbean
- Adults-only Sanctuary (some with pool) offers a quiet sun deck/pool alternative for a half-day or full-day fee
- Movie showings daily on upper sun deck as part of Movies Under the Stars
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Every ship in the fleet has at least one large pool or two smaller pools, as well as four to six hot tubs
- Kids' pool or splash pool on all ships
- Eight ships have pool and water slide combos; six of these have multi-slide Aqua Parks
- Pool decks are mostly for lounging around but on hot-weather cruises there's always some poolside fun to be had
Sports Deck Fun
Princess Cruises
- All ships have jogging tracks and shuffleboard; most also have a basketball court
- All ships have a golf area, which might have a practice cage or a nine-hole putting course
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Every ship has a basketball court; most also have golf driving nets and a handful have mini-golf
- Four ships have rock climbing walls; two of these also have a ropes course and mini-golf -- a fifth ship, Norwegian Escape, has a massive ropes course but no rock climbing wall
- Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy have a two-level Go-Kart racing track, plus an outdoor laser tag course; both cost extra to use; they also have mini-golf, but no rock climbing wall or rope course
Indoor Fun
Princess Cruises
- Daily fun includes trivia, arts and crafts, bingo, dance classes and Voice of the Ocean rehearsals (a singing competition created via a partnership with TV's "The Voice")
- Destination-specific lectures and enrichment programs on itineraries in Alaska, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific
- Several ships in the fleet have a multi-deck piazza-style atrium, a hub for dining and entertainment
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Daytime indoor fun (free and for-a-fee) includes dance classes, bingo, trivia and the interactive "Deal or No Deal" show, as well as beer and wine tastings
- Select ships offer full-size or miniature bowling
- Several ships have a free circus-themed escape room experience; participants must work together to solve puzzles and "escape" within a specified time frame
- Several ships have a wall-sized Wii screen in the atrium for group Wii play
Nightlife
Princess Cruises
- Select ships feature a made-for-Princess theater show created by Oscar winner and composer of "Wicked," "Pippin" and "Godspell" Stephen Schwartz
- All ships have musical revue-style shows, as well as intermittent comedy and magic acts
- Piano and small act music shows available nightly in just about every bar and lounge
- Vines wine bar, with its sizeable list of varietals, is the spot for a late-night glass of wine or a wine-and-chocolate pairing
- All ships have a late-night dance club
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Full-length Broadway productions on five ships: Norwegian Breakaway ("Rock of Ages"), Norwegian Getaway ("Legally Blonde"), Norwegian Epic ("Priscilla Queen of the Desert"), Norwegian Escape ("After Midnight"), and Norwegian Bliss ("Jersey Boys")
- All ships offer comedy acts at least once per sailing, with four ships featuring nightly shows in a dedicated comedy club
- Every ship in the fleet features musical revue-style song-and-dance theater shows several times per sailing
- Newer ships also feature alternative wine- or cocktail-focused theater shows or dinner/theater shows, for an extra fee
- All ships have at least eight to 10 bars and lounges
Family Focus
Princess Cruises
- Three kids clubs for smaller kids, tweens and teens
- Kid-centric shipboard and shore excursion programs for children themed around Discovery Channel TV shows including Discovery, Animal Planet, the Learning Channel and the Science Channel
- All ships (minus Pacific Princess) have a kids' splash pool; select vessels have teen-only hot tubs
- DIY laundry rooms for easy cleaning of kids' clothing
- Select ships have two-room family suites
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Kids' programming is divided into four groups: ages 3 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 17
- The Guppies program on all ships offers scheduled programming for parents and their babies or toddlers, ages 6 months to 2 years; Norwegian Escape and Bliss have a Guppies Nursery where parents can drop off their babies (6 months to 2 years) for babysitting
- For-fee evening and port day group baby-sitting is available for kids ages 3 to 12
- Family accommodation options include suites, oceanview cabins, balconies and inside rooms
Tradition vs Innovation
Princess Cruises
- Provides a refined, somewhat traditional cruise experience that includes main dining rooms, limited specialty restaurants and song-and-dance revue evening shows
- Limited innovations on the newest ships include the SeaWalk, a see-through glass walkway suspended off one side of the ship 16 decks above the water
Norwegian Cruise Line
- Water parks, ropes courses, laser tag, Broadway shows and the innovative alfresco dining area, The Waterfront are among the innovations found only on the newest ships
- Two newest ships, Norwegian Bliss and Joy, have full-scale Go-Kart racetracks
- Historically, has been a line unafraid to experiment with dining, entertainment and design
Updated January 08, 2020
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